Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Contact’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Contact’, characterized by its large decorative quilled-type inflorescences that are about 8.1 cm in diameter; attractive upright bright yellow ray florets; numerous inflorescences per stem; early flowering, response time about 53 days; dark green foliage; strong stems; and excellent postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaining good substance and color for about four weeks in an interior environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora andreferred to by the cultivar name Contact.

The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new cut Chrysanthemum cultivars havinginflorescences with desirable colors and good form and substance.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross made by the Inventor inJanuary, 1993, in Salinas, Calif., of a proprietary Chrysanthemumseedling selection identified as 1425, as the female, or seed, parentwith a proprietary Chrysanthemum seedling selection identified as 3696,as the male, or pollen, parent.

The cultivar Contact was discovered and selected by the Inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlledenvironment in Alva, Fla., in March, 1994. The selection of this plantwas based on its desirable inflorescence color and good form andsubstance.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings takenin a controlled environment in Alva, Fla., has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Contact has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Contact’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Contact’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Large decorative quilled-type inflorescences that are about 8.1 cm indiameter.

2. Attractive upright bright yellow ray florets.

3. Numerous inflorescences per stem.

4. Early flowering.

5. Dark green foliage.

6. Strong stems.

7. Excellent postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaininggood substance and color for about four weeks in an interiorenvironment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Chrysanthemum, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering stem of ‘Contact’ grown as a spray-type cutChrysanthemum.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a top perspective view oftypical inflorescences of the cultivar Contact.

The photograph at the top of the third sheet comprises a close-up viewof upper and lower surfaces of typical inflorescences of the cultivarContact.

The photograph at the bottom of the third sheet comprises a close-upview of typical young and mature leaves of the cultivar Contact. Floretand foliage colors in the photographs may differ from the actual colorsdue to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe plants grown in Salinas, Calif., underconditions which approximate commercial practice in a double-layerpolyethylene-covered greenhouse. Two-week old rooted cuttings wereplanted on Feb. 11, 1999 and received 21 long day/short nights followedby short day/long nights until flowering. Plants were grown assingle-stem cut chrysanthemums. During the production time, thefollowing environmental conditions were measured: day temperaturesranging from 18 to 27° C.; night temperatures ranging from 16 to 18° C.;and light level of about 2,000 to 4,000 foot candles. Measurements andnumerical values represent averages for six to ten typical floweringstems.

Botanical classification: Dendranthema grandiflora cultivar Contact.

Commercial classification: Decorative quilled spray-type cutChrysanthemum with tubular ray florets.

Parentage:

Female or seed parent.—Proprietary Dendranthema grandiflora seedlingselection, code number 1425.

Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary Dendranthema grandiflora seedlingselection, code number 3696.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to rooting.—Seven to ten days with soil temperatures of 21° C.

Rooting habit.—Fine, fibrous and well-branched.

Plant description:

Appearance.—Perennial herbaceous decorative quilled spray-type cutflower. Stems upright, uniform habit and freely branching.

Flowering stem length.—About 89 cm.

Stem color.—144A.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate. Length: About 12.2 cm.Width: About 8.5 cm. Apex: Mucronate. Base: Truncate. Margin: Palmatelylobed. Texture: Upper and lower surfaces slightly pubescent. Veinsprominent on lower surface. Color: Young foliage upper surface: 147A.Young foliage lower surface: Darker than 147B. Mature foliage uppersurface: 147A. Mature foliage lower surface: 147B. Venation uppersurface: 147B. Venation lower surface: 147B. Petiole: Length: About 3.5cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Color: Upper, 147B-147C; lower, 147B; margins,147A.

Flowering description:

Appearance.—Decorative quilled spray-type inflorescence form withtubular ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals, arising fromleaf axils. Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum.

Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flowers in theautumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other times of the year,inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under shortday/long night conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Plantsexposed to three weeks of long day/short night conditions after plantingfollowed by photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower about53 days later.

Postproduction longevity.—In an interior environment, flowering stemswill maintain good color and substance for about four weeks in aninterior environment after one week of cool storage.

Quantity of inflorescences.—Numerous, about 12 inflorescences perflowering stem.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 8.1 cm. Depth (height): About 2.3cm. Diameter of disc: No disc florets observed. Diameter of receptacle:About 8 mm.

Ray florets.—Shape: Tubular, quilled. Length: About 4.8 cm. Width: About4 mm. Apex: Pointed, acute or dentate. Base: Fused. Margin: Tubular.Texture: Smooth, glabrous; durable. Aspect: Upright, about 30° topeduncle. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: Numerous, very fullinflorescences, typically about 210. Color: When opening, tube: 5A. Whenopening, throat: 5A. Mature, tube: 5A to 5C. Mature, throat: 5A.

Peduncle.—Aspect: Strong and angled about 35 to 40° to the stem. Length:First peduncle: About 9.75 cm. Fourth peduncle: About 14.8 cm. Seventhpeduncle: About 20.2 cm. Texture: Very fine pubescence. Color: 144A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: None, no disc florets observed.Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets.

Disease resistance: Resistance to diseases common to Chrysanthemums hasnot been observed on plants grown under commercial conditions.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have demonstratedgood tolerance to temperatures as low as 5° C.

Seed production: Seed production has not been observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plantnamed ‘Contact’, as illustrated and described.